Trice, a junior guard, missed the summer after having an infection on his brain, causing him to drop more than 20 pounds.

But after a healthy summer, both players impressed in the No. 2 MSU men’s basketball team’s season opener Friday night — a 98-56 win against McNeese State.

“Last year, toward the end of the season I was thinking a lot but now I feel good,” Dawson said. “My body feels good, I’m 100 percent and I’m not thinking about the injury anymore.”

Dawson was one of three Spartans to record a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) in the game, along with sophomore guard Gary Harris (20-10) and senior center Adreian Payne (10-10).

It was the first game since Dec. 15, 1988, MSU had three players record such a feat.

Dawson didn’t start the game because he arrived late to a team meeting, but came off the bench and gave MSU a lift through tough stretches.

With about five minutes left, MSU air balled a three and had two consecutive turnovers, Dawson ended the drought and gave the team a big lift with back-to-back layups, as well as a no-look bounce pass to Costello for a layup.

Dawson also finished the game with five assists and six offensive rebounds.

“We didn’t run anything for him and he was unbelievable,” Izzo said of Dawson. “He just made a lot of things happen. That’s the Branden Dawson I thought we’d see … That motor is an interesting thing and when he turns and cranks that thing up he’s a pretty good player.”

Trice was another boost off of the Spartan bench and nearly provided another double-double for MSU. He scored 11 points, dished out eight assists, and grabbed five rebounds.

During the team’s media day in late October, Izzo said Trice was the most improved and is in the best shape of his life.

The entire game, Trice kept to one of MSU’s main game plan, which was to run the ball. The plan proved successful and the Spartans had 40 points off of the fast break.

In transition, Trice drove down the baseline for a slam dunk and on the next possession, Harris found Trice again on a fast break for a three.

“Once our running game, I think we wore them down and with about five minutes left in the first half you could see they were kind of gassed,” Trice said. “Just pushing it, continually pushing it and try and get as many points in transition I think we’re deep enough where we won’t get tired doing that I think we can wear other teams down.”